GE Delivers More Engines for India's Tejas Fighter Jets Amid Delays
GE Delivers More Engines for India's Tejas Fighter Jets Amid Delays
GE Aerospace speeds up F404 engine shipments for India's Tejas LCA Mk 1A fighter jets. Learn how recent deliveries aim to tackle past delays and boost the IAF's defense capabilities.
U.S. engine manufacturer General Electric (GE) Aerospace recently announced the shipment of four F404-IN20 engines to Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). These crucial engines are destined for India's indigenous Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Mk 1A, a significant step in bolstering the Indian Air Force's (IAF) capabilities. This latest dispatch brings the total number of F404-IN20 engines sent by GE Aerospace in the last two months to seven.
GE Aerospace is under contract to deliver 99 such engines to HAL. Including the latest four, HAL has now received 14 engines to power the Tejas LCA Mk 1A.
However, the path to full operational strength for the Tejas Mk 1A has faced hurdles.
Reports indicate that at least 25 Tejas airframes are currently ready, awaiting these vital engine deliveries from the U.S. company.
The delay in receiving these engines has had a ripple effect, impacting HAL's ability to deliver the completed aircraft to the Indian Air Force. This delay has not gone unnoticed within the country's defence establishment. The induction of the LCA Tejas Mk-1A into the IAF has come under scrutiny, particularly as the Air Force grapples with a depleting strength in its fighter squadrons.
Back in February 2021, the Defence Ministry signed a substantial ₹48,000-crore deal with HAL for the procurement of 83 Tejas Mk-1A jets for the IAF. This order comprises 73 LCA Tejas Mk-1A fighter aircraft and 10 LCA Tejas Mk-1 Trainer aircraft.
The original agreement stipulated that all 83 aircraft would be delivered within eight years from the contract signing date, with HAL scheduled to deliver the first three aircraft in the third year, followed by 16 aircraft annually for the subsequent five years.
Unfortunately, HAL has yet to deliver a single LCA Tejas Mk-1A fighter aircraft to the IAF.
Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh recently voiced concerns, stating that the delay in the induction of the LCA Tejas Mk-1A is directly hurting the air force.
Echoing this sentiment, Defence Minister Rajanath Singh, during a visit to Bengaluru in September, emphasized the need for realistic project timelines. He highlighted that delays can lead to critical defence requirements not being met, cause cost escalations, and increase the risk of technology obsolescence, underscoring the urgency for timely project execution.
